The Bitter Step
by bittasummer
Summary: 2-parter. Set during Prom Wrecker. Just how did Jade get the shrimp into Tori's bra? Jori.
1. Part I

**Title: The Bitter Step**

**Author: Bittasummer19**

**Summary:** 2-parter. Just how did Jade get the shrimp into Tori's bra? Set during 'Prom Wrecker'. Begins right after Jade announces herself to Tori and Andre and then walks off. Part 1 of 2.

**Pairing:** Tori/Jade

**Rated: **M, just in case.

* * *

><p>The minute Jade announced herself to Tori and Andre and then flitted off, Tori shoved the speakerphone and iPear-Pad into Andre's hands and marched off, in search of the dangerous black haired villain.<p>

Tori ignored the urge to take off her heels and walk barefoot as she stormed down the corridors, determination written all over her face. There was no way Jade was here to just party. Oh no. She would be planning something alright. That's it. No more Ms-nice-sweet-innocent-Tori with the petite walk and the quaint smile. Oh no. Jade would well and truly endure the wrath of a Vega. Tori pushed her hair out of her face and continued down the hallway, scanning about.

From the moment Tori saw Jade, a sinking feeling had risen, ironically, in the pit of her gut. Jade had taunted her in the usual fashion and flitted off, probably to activate her evil manipulative plan, but Tori was making a pre-emptive strike. Hit while the iron's hot. Offence instead of defence. She would find Jade before she did any sabotaging and literally tie her to something if need be, just until the Prome was over. There was no way Tori was going to take the fall for ruining Hollywood Art's first and probably only Prom.

"Have you seen Jade West? 5'6, black hair, devil horns sticking out the top of her head?" Tori aggressively asked a fellow Prome passer-by. When Tori got nothing, she resisted the want to scream Jade's name at the top of her lungs and carried on, taking a corner with swift movement. Jade West was going to rue the day she ever threatened Tori Vega. Just once, Tori wanted something to go right and… Satan's mistress herself decided to show up.

Just as she passed the janitor's closet, the door open and a hand reached out and snagged Tori by the wrist. In a flash, Tori was pulled inside the janitor's small closet, leaving her in total darkness. She heard the door slam shut behind her and just as she was about to open her mouth and ask what the hell was going on, the lights suddenly flickered and Tori narrowed her eyes into slits at the sight of Jade, leaning on the door, blocking Tori's way out, with a calculated smirk.

"Jade" Tori growled, completely missing the predatory look and the wanting lean of Jade's body. "Jade West, from the bottom of my rage to the part where your heart was clearly removed, I demand you leave this Prome and abandon your little twisted devious plan, because I know you have one and if Beck wasn't all the way in Canada, I can assure you, he wouldn't let you do this either, how selfish can you be? I mean, I know you're selfish on mass proportions but this has to be one of the most meanest things you could mess with, do you even realise how much time I spent and I didn't even have that long-".

The sound of the lock turning made Tori abruptly stop. Panic crept into her chest as she watched Jade removed a pair of scissors from her dress, hidden and tucked away in the inside of the waist band. Tori gulped and took a step backwards. Jade had always been mean, but she had never been… evil. Sometimes she was very mean.

"What's wrong, Tori?" Jade put the scissors down on the bin's lid, "I just wanted a bit of room to breathe, plus the metal had gone warm now and I only like it against my skin when it's cold" she stepped towards Tori with a flirtatious tilt of her head, "You didn't really think I was going to hurt you, did you?" there was something else in Jade's eyes, between the cruelty and the mocking. It was… hurt? Tori dismissed this thought completely; there would be no way Jade would be hurt about Tori's fear. It was completely justified.

"Why did you lock the door?" Tori found her voice again, letting the anger drown out the current fading fear. She noticed Jade take another step closer, leaving them inches away from each other. Jade smelled like… fresh earth and old spices and Tori momentarily felt her breathing hitch. Everything in her body was telling her to move forwards, push Jade out the way and escape, possibly taking the scissors with her.

"Because even though Beck's in Canada, I can't have anyone telling him what they might see if they walk in here" Jade's husky voice coursed with emotion and lust. Because Tori had frozen in the spot she was in, Jade reached out and picked up Tori's hand, slowly pulling off her fancy long glove. When Tori's bare skin met Jade's, she intertwined their fingers and moved her free hand over to take off Tori's other long glove.

"What are you talking about?" Tori blinked. What the hell was going on? Was this some kind of mind trick? Was Jade seriously trying to seduce Tori into letting her evil plan happen? Was Tori seriously falling for it? Tori felt her weak eyes flutter shut against the feel of Jade's fingertips run up her arm, electrifying every skin cell she had, sending hot vibrations to her lower abdomen. Jade moved slowly around Tori and smiled seductively as she pushed her front into Tori's back.

Tori's eyes widened at the feel of Jade's every inch pressed into hers. She had never, ever felt this way. Tori let out a loose moan when Jade lowered her head and kissed the crook of Tori's neck. She let her teeth graze the Latina's smooth skin, revelling in the smell, sound and taste of the taller girl. Jade slid one hand from the back of Tori's bare leg around her thigh as Tori's weight leaned into Jade instinctively, giving the stylish goth more access to her neck.

Jade's free hand slid round Tori's waist and they both stumbled backwards a bit, thumping into the wall, which was muffled by Tori's vibrated moan as Jade's fingers crept closely up Tori's thigh towards her underwear. Tori wondered briefly what the hell was going on. A moment ago, she had been intent on being so angry at Jade she may possibly have slapped her and now… Now Jade was the one making Tori moan, in a sexual way. The only way Tori assumed Jade would make her moan would be out of pain.

So many reasons not to let Jade continue screamed into her head; one being that they both hated each other, another being that they were certainly not compatible and the last, most important reason, was that Jade was going out with Beck, and had been for two years. Tori bit the inside of her cheek. Beck was such a good person and an even better friend, how could Tori do this to him? How the hell could Jade? As Jade's nails scraped along the top of Tori's black underwear, Tori's knees buckled and she felt herself swooning. _Swooning_? She never swooned.

"Stop this now" Tori commanded suddenly, pulling herself out of Jade's grip. She turned around and faced the other girl with a fierce look in her eyes, "This isn't funny Jade, this isn't some kind of practical joke you think you can get away with, you're Beck's girlfriend, you're not mine" she felt the bitter disappointment seep into her tone subconsciously. Despite the fact she burned with want and lust and sin, she kept a straight face and told herself she would need to use the bathroom, right after this was over.

"How about this _Tor_" Jade began lowly, licking her lips with a predatory gesture, "I'll kiss you… And if you can't kiss me back… Then I promise I'll leave your little stupid Prome and not do the really evil twisted thing I am planning to do" she put her hands on her hips arrogantly, "Your choice Vega. Your little Prome could be saved, it's all up to you. Just don't kiss me back".

"You're ridiculous" Tori already felt her resolve going. For one, she _did _want to kiss Jade and for another, she really wanted to prove to the goth just once that she could beat her at something, that she wasn't all talk, that she was capable of doing something right, of making something a success. It was only was now that Tori realised how hard she worked at proving herself to Jade. But why? Her expression hardened, "Fine".

Jade moved closer to Tori, let her fingertips linger painfully on Tori's bare arm before she closed the distance between them and pressed her body to Tori's. Tori wanted to scold herself at how excited she was for this and at the feel of Jade's palm slide up Tori's neck, to the part where she'd marked her skin minutes ago, her eyes closed again. She wanted to steel her lips. She couldn't react to Jade's kiss, whatsoever.

The moment Jade's lips touched Tori's, it took everything that Tori was, is and could be inside of her not to react. The whole air around them hummed with fireworks and electricity and passion as Jade pulled back slightly, ending the soft, unsure kiss. It wasn't like Jade, Tori realised, the kiss… It wasn't Jade. It was so… delicate and unconfident and shy. Just as Tori grew disappointed the kiss was over, Jade returned suddenly, crashing her lips to the Latina's, sliding her hands up her waist, over her arms and around her neck, pressing every curve to hers.

Tori tried to steel her face, despite her heart, gut and emotions were doing a continuous 360 flip. Jade tasted amazing; like lip-gloss and candyfloss and a strawberry slush puppy. The knot tightened in her stomach, screaming at her to touch Jade back, to move her lips, to blend them together with the girl she had a hate-dislike friendship with. The smell of Jade was overpowering Tori's nostrils when Jade pulled back and stared into Tori's eyes with dark, clouded, dilated pupils. That's the moment when Tori knew she had lost.

When Jade returned her hungry wanting lips back to Tori's, the previous still girl under her kiss reacted as if she had been set on fire. Tori's lips began to move, melding together when Jade's. Their tongues slipped around each other, fighting for dominance and indulging in the growing crackling tension between one another. They really knew how to set each other off. Tori's skin burned with want every time she felt Jade's touch, and as she tried to pull back to let out a vibrated moan, Jade wouldn't let her and ended up swallowing the vibration.

Jade's cold hands slid up Tori's legs and hips, onto her stomach and waist, pushing the pink dress upwards as she did. Tori threw her head back a little in the pleasure and bit her lip painfully when she felt Jade's knee push into her crotch. There was no denying now just how much both girls wanted each other. Jade shoved Tori backwards with ignited heat and Tori's head slammed against the wall, hitting the light switch off and putting them in total darkness.

Tori didn't care. She had never felt this much passion and intensity before in her life. She was well and truly alive, no one to worry about, no one to care about, no one to see what they were doing… She hadn't ever felt this free, yet so attached. Jade's right leg hooked around Tori's waist under her hiked up dress and shoved them together, hissing at the feel of the Latina under her own desperate skin. Just to hear Tori say her name, just to hear Tori beg for relief, just for Tori to want that person to be Jade. The darkness certainly wasn't stopping them.

Tori gasped as she felt Jade's hands pull down the front of her dress, past her breasts, resting at her waist. Tori had to say, this was not how she assumed her Prome would turn out. She blushed at the thought of Jade seeing her black lacy bra but then she reminded herself they were both in the dark, they both couldn't see. But they could feel. Tori couldn't help but let out a parted breath of Jade's name as the goth girl let her fingers creep inside Tori's bra. Jade's fingers were so cold - and a bit slimy? - Tori felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on edge.

As Tori continued to enjoy Jade's fingers, her smile was suddenly interrupted by Jade's fierce lips back on hers, teasing her tongue inside, ravaging Tori's entire mouth and taking her breath away. And then, just as quickly as it had begun, Jade pulled the top of Tori's dress back up over her bra, and pulled away from the Latina, sliding her hands down the rest of Tori's dress in a vain attempt to smooth it. Tori tried to compose herself as she felt Jade reach out behind her and turn the lights back on.

The lights brought everything crashing back to reality. Tori had just kissed Jade. Kissed. Her. Back. Tori had just helped Jade cheat on Beck. Jade felt a smile slip onto her lips as she wiped her smudged lipstick away with her thumb. "You better go Vega. You lost, which means you have about four minutes until your little Prome comes crashing down".

Tori sobered up from her world of lust and want and need very quickly. This had all been a game to Jade. Just a practical prank, a joke, a way to dare Tori into playing a game she couldn't win and losing her one chance at showing Hollywood Art's a good Prom. Tori glared at Jade and bent down to pick up her fallen gloves quickly. She kept eye contact with Jade with entire time she shoved her gloves back on with speed.

"I hate you" Tori whispered, though she couldn't muster up any real anger, just pain and hurt, betrayal and bitterness. And Jade heard them all, loud as a bell, clear as a cloudless day. Jade watched with a fallen expression as Tori turned, unlocked the door, and stormed off, slamming it as she went. Jade sighed and reached over to pick up her scissors. She composed herself, put her scissors back into the slot of the inside of her dress's waist band and walked out of the janitor's closet, trying to tell herself that was a victory, and not a loss.


	2. Part II

**Title: The Bitter Step**

**Author: Bittasummer19**

**Summary:** 2-parter. Just how did Jade get the shrimp into Tori's bra? Set during 'Prom Wrecker'. Part 2 of 2.

**Pairing:** Tori/Jade

**Rated: **M, just in case.

**Notes: **Thanks for your feedback! Love you all.

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><p>Tori marched frantically back onto the Asphalt's Café podium that overlooked the crowd and party-goers of Hollywood Art's first Prom. She had to make sure Jade hadn't messed with anything, like the equipment. As she turned down the music's volume on the iPear-Pad's speakers, she glanced quickly around, surprised that everything was still in order. She had to do something before Jade waltzed in and ruined everything. Tori let out a deep breath, forced a strained smile on her face and walked over to the microphone in it's stand.<p>

"Okay everyone" Tori began speaking to her fellow students, "Gather round" she watched everyone clump together to listen to her, hearing a couple of people cry her name appreciatively. She tried to take comfort in that fact she had made it fun, at least. And at least she had their approval… It didn't matter to Tori if she didn't have Jade's approval. "Welcome to the first ever; Hollywood Art's Prom!" she smiled back as people clapped and cheered. Everyone had really made an effort tonight, looks wise... _Especially Jade_, Tori's devilish voice whispered to her.

"Yeah!" Tori grinned at them, "Okay, okay, the band will be here soon but until then, if you haven't voted for Prome Queen and King, you still have time".

"Yes, remember to vote" Trina suddenly called from her spot with… Sinjin? Wait, was Trina there with Sinjin? Tori didn't remember Trina telling her anything about a date with Sinjin. "Cause anyone can win".

"Just use your phones to go to the Slap and remember, you can only vote for one Queen and one King" Tori added, "So-" the stomach sinking sound of the power fail behind her made her turn her head and see the screen next to her, looking dead. The crowd had already started to murmur in confusion.

"Uh, okay" Tori said, trying to remain calm, "Guys, it's okay!" she bent over the banister and called them to them, "Uh, it looks like the electricity went out so just relax until-" the crowd's screams suddenly cut her off and she frowned, "What?" she asked. She noticed Trina's pointing and asked "What?" again before turning her head and giving a short scream at the screen next to her. It wasn't dead, or out of power, it had been hijacked by a creepy doll's head. Tori vaguely noticed Andre had walked on next to her.

Flashes of the video continued to make the crowd gasp and scream. They were truly disturbing; skulls, blood, insects, eerie sounds, creepy heads, dead bodies. Tori already knew who was behind this. _Jade_.

"Hey, hey, what is that? It's freaking everybody out" Andre asked Tori, grimacing.

"I-I-I don't know" Tori spluttered, even though she did. She bent back over the banister, "Guys, guys, guys! Give me five minutes to work this out, I'm so sorry, um-".

"Hey Tori".

Tori looked around and saw Jade, smirking. If Andre hadn't of been there and all her fellow students watching, Tori might have reached out and shoved Jade off the podium.

"How's your Prome going?" Jade was dripping with sarcasm and smugness.

"Turn on the power, turn off that freakish video and then go home!" Tori demanded.

"And miss the rest of this Prome?" Jade replied mockingly, "No, I think the fun's just begun".

"Yeah? Well think again, cause there's not gonna be anymore of your stupid little pranks" and she really meant that. She wasn't going to let Jade use her again, as anything.

"Oh?" Jade let out a deep playful sigh, "Then you better tell your shrimp in your bra" she smirked and walked away, leaving Tori to gape after her.

"Shrimp in my bra..?" Tori spun around to Andre, trailing off as realisation slapped her right across the face like a giant big dead fish. Without thinking about what she was doing, she dug her hand inside her bra, fished about - pardon the pun - and grimaced as she pulled out a big pink raw shrimp.

Tori's face fell. So Jade wasn't just using Tori to mess with her head, she was also planting a shrimp in her bra. That's why Jade's 'fingers' were so cold and slimy. Tori wanted to scream. But she couldn't. She had to act like she had no idea how it even got there, lest Andre find out about Tori and Jade's janitor closet antics and tell Beck. That thought really made Tori feel sick.

"How did she _do_ it?" Tori cried, trying to look as confused as Andre did. And behind her, the creepy Jade video raged on as the crowd below squirmed with disgust.

**oOo**

Tori spotted Jade over by the steps, taking a sip of juice. "Jade, are you done with your little sabotage game?" she couldn't believe she was keeping her tone in such control. All she wanted to do was tackle the stupid goth to the ground and pound her head against the concrete.

"What little sabotage game?" Jade mocked her with the voice she reserved for Tori's over exaggerated flirting impression.

Tori was about to tell Jade the shrimp-bra-thing was seriously low when Andre walked over to them, "Hey, uh Sinjin found the projector and killed the crazy video".

Jade pursed her lips.

Despite her anger, Tori let out a sigh of relief, "Good, good, now we just gotta-" she stopped and grinned with glee as the lights and power came back on. The crowd began to clap and applause. Tori glanced over to Jade with a look that said 'Shove it, Jade'.

"Take that you creep Demon" Tori said to Jade through the speakerphone with her own smugness. She turned back to the crowd, and said through the speakerphone, "Okay people, this Prom is back in action!". Her eyes found Robbie and she asked him, "Oh hey, uh, did you call the band and find out why they're late?".

"Yeah, their manager said you called them and cancelled them" Robbie replied with a frown.

"What? No, I didn't cancel the band" Tori shook her head.

"Uh oh" Jade's over exaggerated voice floated into the conversation, "Looks like Tori Vega's Prom is turning into one big boomedy-boom!" she smirked and walked off, leaving Tori to glare after her.

"_Prome_!" Tori screamed, marching after her.

**oOo**

Just after sending her latest update to the Slap, Tori bounded round the halls of Hollywood Arts for a second time that night, anger, distaste and rage dripping from her face. Then she saw her. Jade, in her pretty blue/green Prome dress, standing by the vending machine, casually holding a can of juice. Tori felt her control slipping away.

"Hey!" Tori screamed as she neared Jade, "Are you gonna stop?" she wished she didn't sound so whiny but if she really went for it with Jade, she wasn't sure people wouldn't walk by and hear about their earlier escapade in the janitor's closet.

Jade glanced down to her can mockingly and shrugged, "Na, I'm still pretty thirsty" she took a small sip. No sooner had she finished the sip, Tori reached out in a childish fit, and grabbed the can from Jade's hands.

"Give it back!" Jade demanded.

"Sure, yeah" Tori nodded sarcastically. Her tongue darted out and began to lick the can, missing the inappropriate look on Jade's face. When she was sure she'd licked enough, she handed the can back with a smug "Here".

"Thanks" Jade said casually as she took another sip.

Tori couldn't hide the disappointed expression at not riling the goth. As Jade made a 'ahh' sound to mock her, Tori realised that of course licking the girl's can wouldn't do anything, they had already swapped saliva thirty minutes ago.

"You know what? You're twisted Jade, that video was sick and that stupid prank-joke thing in the janitor's closet was cheap, just like you" Tori spat at her.

"Say whatever you wanna say Tori" Jade replied with a slight shrug, "I know you loved it, you said my name, in one of those breathy little moans you do so well, so stop blaming all your attraction to me on me, just to make poor little straight Tori feel better about herself".

"Attraction?" Tori felt herself laughing, "You have got to be kidding me! You're the last person on this Earth I would ever be-" she was cut off by Jade reaching out and smashing their lips together. Heat-passion-lust-want-feelings-so many bloody feelings-

"Stop kissing me!" Tori shoved her away, looking around cautiously to make sure nobody had seen, "You are a lunatic".

"A lunatic who's touch makes you crumble inside" Jade said with triumph, "Who's the twisted one now?".

"You just leave my Prom alone" Tori heard herself saying after prolonged silence.

"Maybe now you know what it feels like to plan something and have it ruined by someone else!" Jade cried back.

"Oh, you're such a big baby!" Tori screamed. What was Jade's play about really? Clowns didn't bounce? Hardly _that_ important.

"Weird you just said that" Jade grinned suddenly. She glanced behind Tori and cried, "Doug, over here!".

Tori's face dropped at the sight of a grown overweight adult - sorry - grown overweight _naked _adult, wearing nothing about a man-size diaper, trainers and a bunch of bling round his neck. Walking at his side was a fully dressed dwarf carrying a stereo on his shoulders. "Oh… my… god" Tori mumbled. What the hell was going on now?

The naked adult waddled over with swagger, "You Tori Vega?" the guy - Doug - asked.

"She sure is" Jade pushed Tori towards the overgrown toddler with a smirk.

"What is that?" Tori demanded, pointing at Doug.

"I'm Doug the Diaper Guy" he replied.

"Yeah? And?" in the back of her mind, Tori was already formulating ways that she could make Jade disappear.

"I do parties" Doug answered lamely, "I was hired to come here and do my thing!" was the last part supposed to make up her mind? Tori resisted the urge to take this man to his mother and tell her to sort him out, or the police would.

"_Hired_?" Tori shot Jade a threatening look.

"Yeah" Jade smiled widely. She laughed.

"And what is your thing?" Tori asked hesitantly.

"Well I sing, I dance, I pee my pants!" Doug began to sing, "I'm Doug the Diaper Guy! Come on Rico, let's go out there and shake out the party!" he said to his stereo carrying dwarf friend. He waddled off, dancing as he went.

"You're sick" Tori declared to Jade, "You are a sick person".

"You're just now figuring that out?" Jade raised her eyebrow, walking off.

Tori watched her go with a knot in her gut. When she heard Doug's cries of 'doing his thing' Tori spun around and said, "Hey stop that man in the diaper!".

**oOo**

Tori grinned as she raced up onto the Asphalt's podium. This had to be the one and only time where Trina had actually contributed to something. Granted, she had no idea she had even done it, but… Trina's own selfish statement had given Tori the perfect idea to teach Jade a lesson.

"You guys!" Tori cried into the microphone, "Everybody please wait, don't leave. Look, I'm sorry that the Prome hasn't gone so great".

"Yeah you failed!" Jade called up to her with a smug look on her face.

Oh yeah, this was definitely going to teach Jade a lesson, "_But_" Tori continued, "Before you all leave, I'd like to announce our Prome King and Queen who you all voted for on the Slap" everybody began to clap and cheer and Tori knew she was definitely winning them back.

"Okay!" Tori continued, "And Hollywood Art's first ever Prome Queen is…" she glanced down to her iPear-Pad and clicked the calculate votes button. _Trina Vega? _What? Tori hid the shock in her face as she announced, "Jade West!".

"What?" Jade screamed as randomers began to congratulate her. Tori grinned down at her and clapped also.

"What?" Trina cried.

"What?" Sinjin frowned.

"That's right! Congratulations Jade" Tori wished someone could take a picture of this moment. She hoped someone was and would upload it onto the Slap later. The look on Jade's face was priceless. This was perfect. The perfect payback for ruining her Prome.

"What? No! Stop! Stop congratulating me!" Jade protested as someone shoved a cheap metal tiara on her head. "Don't touch me!".

Now for the finishing touches. "And now for Hollywood Art's first ever Prome King" Tori added, "Doug the Diaper Guy!". Shove it, Jade.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Jade cried over Doug and everyone else's cheers. The crowd went wild and Tori had the best view in the house. This might really show Jade that Tori shouldn't ever be messed with again. The best bit was when Doug picked up Jade, kicking and screaming and ran with her, Nico following after them.

"Okay, let's rock this Prome!" Tori cried as she saw Sikowitz at the back of the crowd. He was, not weirdly, carrying two tires and a red tank. At least Sikowitz wouldn't have seen the Prome almost fall apart. Finally. Everything was back on track and Tori had her revenge.

**oOo**

Even though Tori was cleaning an hour after she, Andre and Cat had performed, even in the soaking rain, the grin was still wide on her face. The Prom had been a big success, Sikowitz had promised Tori a repeat of Prome next year and Jade had finally got a taste of her own medicine. Tonight couldn't be any better. The only thing that kept slithering into the back of her mind was that she'd had to face Beck when he got back from Canada and she'd have to pretend like she didn't make out with his girlfriend in a janitor's closet and liked it.

Tori tore off her gloves and leaned over to tie the black bin bag into a knot before picking it up and walking round the corner. The fact that she didn't even have a date didn't even bother Tori as much as it had before. She'd sung with Andre and Cat, danced with Robbie, Sikowitz and Doug the Diaper Guy and got a kiss on the cheek from Rico. All in all, apart from helping Jade cheat on her boyfriend, Tori didn't regret Jade trying to ruin their night, because she finally got what she deserved.

As Tori walked past her locker, she stopped, at the stairs and stared. Sitting at the top of the steps was Jade, swinging the tiara round and round in her fingers, over and over again. Did she look a little… sad? Annoyed, definitely. Despite her better judgement, Tori put the bin-bag down, making Jade's head snap up at the sound. Her eyes grew cold when she looked at Tori and she quickly glanced away, pursing her lips.

"Hey Diaper Guy's girlfriend" Tori couldn't help but joke as she walked over to Jade. Silence. Why the hell did Tori even feel bad? Jade was the one who tricked her into kissing her, all for a distraction, to screw up with Prome, to get inside Tori's head and mess with it. Why on Earth was Tori feeling like the bad one, staring at Jade's slumped shoulders? "Room on that step for me?" Tori asked.

"It's my bitter step" Jade replied without looking up, "So if you want to sit down you need to be bitter, no gloating" she wasn't surprised when she heard Tori sit down next to her and sighed uneasily. Jade was still twiddling the tiara about in her fingers, aware that Tori was practically squirming with unspoken words and dangerous intentions.

"When Beck gets back from Canada…" Tori heard herself saying slowly, "You're not going to…" she trailed off.

"Beck doesn't need to know a thing" Jade finished for Tori, "He's Canadian, not telepathic".

"Yeah, I think that's best" Tori nodded, restraining from a grimace, "We both know it didn't mean anything, you're Jade, you mess with people's heads and kiss them, I'm not taking it personally". What the hell was she saying? Of course she was taking it personally.

Jade cocked her head round at this statement, keeping her face completely void of emotion. Except from her eyes. They spoke it all, saying things Tori wasn't sure she could let herself believe. And then Jade looked away, breaking their connection. She found a cold, small smile despite her bitterness, "It really was a great Prome, Tori".

"Thank you" Tori whispered back. "Sorry I ruined your play".

"At least I have a lot of blood" Jade shrugged casually, "I could do lots of things with that" she stood up, to Tori's disappointment and towered over the sitting Latina. "By the way" she leaned over and placed the tiara on Tori's head, adjusting it properly, "I'm nobody's Queen".

"And I am?" Tori asked hoarsely, heartbeat racing at the gesture soulless Jade had just done.

"Yes" Jade answered simply, then she winced, "People like you, it's disgusting" she turned and began to walk away, a simple smile shielded from Tori. Just before she walked out of Hollywood Arts, she turned and said to Tori, "I wasn't messing your head, Vega".

Tori's heartbeat jerked erratically and she frowned. "But what-".

"Goodnight, Vega" Jade cut her off suddenly, in her usual Jade-like fashion. Tori fought the smile forming on her face she stared back. Believing Jade's usual tainted words weren't wise but the look in her eyes... They were really saying something.

"Wipe that smile off your face" Jade fought against her own smile, "I still hate you".

"Back at you" Tori leaned her elbow on her knee and her chin on her palm.

Jade walked out of Hollywood Art's and left Tori sitting by herself. Tori glanced down to Jade's bitter step, the one she was sitting on. She felt a slow smile creep onto her face at the thought of Jade's words. Maybe sitting on a bitter step wasn't as bad as it sounded. No, it definitely wasn't.

Tori was sitting on Jade's bitter step, and she didn't mind one bit.


End file.
